The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-13


received when Sir William was member of the
Gladstone government [Cheers-l With regard
to General Butler. Mr.. Bafonr said he always
acted IN perfect harmony with the present gov
ernment. His appointment as Under Secretary
| Tor Ireland was only temporary. and he resigned
a 6s not to aeay
from the Parneleites. II any one
supposed General Buffers retirement was due IN
| him tBalfour). the supposition was absolutely
| false Referring Sir Williams contention,
| that suppression of public meetings illegal.
Mr. Balfour said he did not know at what period
| Sir William lost his knowledge of law, but it
| was matter of history that under the common
law of Ireland Sir William himself acted with
| one hundred and thirty meetings Tcheersl. 1t
was again and again stated. when
these meetings. were proclaimed. that
| the act of 1882 did not contain any new powers.
| The question really was not whether the govern
ments action was legal. but whether it was pol
| itic. An important element to consider was the
| center of agrarian crime 1t was absurd to de-
scribe such meetings as for free discussion.
They were heralded by placerds of infammatory
nature. and obviously their object was TO defeat
the laws and foster outrage and intimidation.
Regarding the Mitchelstown affair, Mr..
Balfour said it had been clearly as
was taken in the face of extreme
provocation. [Cries of 'oh! ohrl The police
were assaulted with stones and blackthorn
sticks before they drew their batons. lCries of
NO" mo-" Hear" ''Hear"I Not till they
were thrown into disorder by a charge OF horse
men which knocked down and wounded a num-
Der and forced the rest to fly for their lives did
the police fire. It was absolutely necessary for
them to fire in order to protect the barracks and
tCries of "Oh. ""Oh;" and cheers. The firing
not the random firing of men In panic, but de-
lioerate act, under the order Of their command
ing officer He maintained that the conduct of
the police was amply justified: that
they were in no way to blame. the
sole responsibility resting up those who
lips the words liberty, justice and free speech,
but the actual weapons he and his friends used
in the Irish contest were obstruction in Parlia-
ment and resistance TO law outside. violence and
Intimidation worse than violence. The opposi-
ton means to further inf1ame the passions OF
the Irish, driving them into resistance to the
law of liberty, founded upon order, and which
was once dear to both parties In the state. He
appealed TO them to have regard for the
community whose lives and properties
were the counters with which Sir William
playing the political game [Cheersl The
government did not waver in their policy. They
believed firm administration of the law and
determination do their utmost to remove the
evils fomenting discomfort, would bring to
Ireland united people, They knew they must
expect little assistance from opposition, but. un-
dismayed by criticism and with courage unshak-
en-, they would persevere in o course that must
end in the conciliation Ireland Loud cheers.
Mr.. Labouchere said that he had been in po-
Stringent orders were given to the people by tbs
leaders avoid disturbance. When they
sembled in the market place Mr.. Dillon advised
that the proceedings be short as possible,
with the view of avoiding disorder There
no objection to the presence of the government
reporter, bct the police could not force him
through the densely packed crowd, and they
we're driven back upon the reserve. They then
advanced to assault the crowd. the ARRAY being
began by a constable drawing, his sword
and wounding a horse There
not at any moment more than fifty people fght-
ing the police. There were women and children
in the crowd, and the men had perfect right to
cs-%&E &Ez- fnoIy W1Ax, %hor Nfsn have
was no danger of any of them being attacked,
either inside outside the barracks The po-
lice behaved like wild beasts. battering the peo-
plo about without mercy. The chief constable
showed deliberate intention to break mp the
rssset ting He held the chief constable and the
resident magistrate responsible for what had
occurred, and he accused them OF deliberate
murder iCheeTs.
Mr.. Gladstone, on rising, was loudly cheered.
He said that it was natural that the debate
should be mainly directed to the Mitchelstown
outrage but Sir William Vernon -Harcourt had
performed public service in drawing attention
to the Ennis meeting. Nr. Ba,four had declared
that the government would persevere in their n
deavor to trAnauiiize Ireland by the firm admin
istration of law, and by the removal, not of
grievances-there were none Laughter.
Mr. Balfour here interposed and said: I" In
justice was my word"
Mr.. Gladstone said he was much obliged. He
saw no difference but it was best to be verbally
rect Resumine. Mr. Gladstone protested
against Mr.. Balfour's statement that he expected
only hostility from the opposition. Whenever
opposition hailed it wit h pleasure and did every
thing possible to further it. despite the
unwise policy of coercion, which was
calculated to destroy social order.
The opposition had enjoined upon
che Irish pc ople strict obedience to the law, and
their advice was more effective in procuring
obedience than all the governments coercion
and constabulary. managed as it was at Mitchels-
town. Mr. Balfour had met Sir William Vernon
Harcourtsspeech with simple tn quoque, which
was usually the resort of persons in a difficult
position. but which legally meant nothing What
sgnifed it for the purpose in view If the late
government did the same thingl He was not
prepared to admit that. but If they did it
with excuse The government, being
charged with infringing the law, say that those
who make the charges are also culpabe under
the law. Mr.. Balfour has enunciated that all
Liberal meetings might be suppressed the
grounds that they were called for improper pur-
poses. The governments had not even at.
in conformity with the highest legal
authority. With regard to the Mitchelstown
affair. which at once moved and narrowed the
feelings of the country, Mr.. Bafour's conduct
seemed marked by singular rashness and impu-
dence. 1t was competent for him, under such
grave circumstances, to decline to enter into any
had been held. But instead of
that he rushed headlong to the conclusion
that all the police had done was right;
that if they had acted otherwise they would
have been guilty of great neglect of duty. So
loEg Mr.. Baifour remained in his present
Office they might rely upon it that the same
course weuld be pursued Mr. Balfour has done
all in his power to bias the case, and had driven
the opposition TO state how the facts appeared
to them. He reserved his Judgment.
but he considered that Mr.. Balfour's asser-
tons right in the teeth of the facts.
From the fact that the government failed
to bring their reporter, was their duty to the
Mitcheistown meeting, in the way most conyeni-
ent to all concerned he could only suppose two
explanati ons: First. an intention to promote
disorder. which he did not entertap second,
that the authorities exhibited a degree of stu
pidity and negligence such is rarely seen.
The responsibility rested with those who COM
mitted the first error, and 1t was
gross, dangerous error for a body of
police to force their way through dense crowd
There was proof of any attempt to storm the
barracks. On the other hand, the victims were
two old men and a boy. Mr.. Gladstone hoped |
to hear. before the debate closed, that this sad
and grievous affair. which had created senti-
-. l~< L.. l. L. s<,A la>i L. !